Shrink Your Footprint With These Green Energy Tips

By tony / June 11, 2019

TIP! Lower the heating costs of your water, hot tubs and pools by changing over to a heating system that is run by solar power. This is also a very efficient way to heat water and keep it at the proper temperature.

Perhaps you have heard how great solar panels can be for your home. Installing a PV solar system is a great way to get started on making your home “green.” The article below discusses some of the information that you need to go green.

Solar Panels

TIP! The government has grants available to those who are willing to invest in alternative renewable energies. To find out which programs are available in your area contact your local government.

Solar panels can be installed on your roof allowing you to use solar energy. There are several things that should be considered prior to installing solar panels. A big consideration is how much sunlight does your home typically receive? If your home does not get a lot of sunlight, then solar panels will be pretty useless.

TIP! You can easily get solar panels installed in your home to collect solar energy for your use. There are several things that should be considered prior to installing solar panels.

Clothes should always be washed in cold water, if possible. If you use warm or hot water in your washing machine, almost 90% of your energy use goes towards heating the water. Just make sure you don’t harm your clothes in the process; check out the labels on your clothes and make a judgment for yourself. Another great tip is to always fill up the washer with a full load so that you’re being as efficient as possible.

TIP! Use drapes or curtains in your windows for when you are not home. This cools down your house and lowers energy use.

Don’t waste money or energy by running a half-full load of dishes. Don’t run it with just a few dishes. You’ll be surprised at how many dishes a dishwasher can load. Think carefully about where you place each dish for optimal storage in the washer.

TIP! Consider solar water heaters to make your home more energy efficient. If you live in a sunny climate, you can use a solar water heater year-round.

Be sure you maintain your refrigerator properly. Refrigerators take up lots of energy, so making sure they’re in working order is always good to know. Clean heating coils regularly to get rid of dust. Inspect the door’s seal for tightness and cleanliness.

TIP! Only run your dishwasher when it is completely full. Don’t run it with only two or three dishes inside.

You can get rid of your old, tank style water heater and switch it out with a new, greener, tankless one. Tankless versions still need electricity or gas to heat water, but they are more effective in heating solely the water necessary instead of a huge tank of water constantly. Tankless heaters can be acquired in models that could give the whole house or even just a single water faucet with water that is hot.

TIP! If you have a dishwasher, do not turn it on until it is full. A half load uses the exact same amount of water and energy as a full one.

Use electric heaters minimally in the winter. Buy more warm clothing and use a fireplace to add heat to your home. An additional benefit to limiting the amount of electrical heaters is that it helps prevent your airways from becoming dry, resulting in better breathing.

TIP! If you would like to save the environment, remember that it can be done in small steps as well as big ones. While you might not have much money to spend on going green, you can begin by cleaning up furnace filters every month and set the heat to 60 degrees when you aren’t home.

A laptop is actually a great alternative for consuming less energy as opposed to using a desktop. These portable machines will reduce your electrical use by 75% while you do everyday tasks. Also, you can bring the laptop with you wherever you go.

TIP! Write yourself reminders to stay on top of new energy efficiency goals, and check every utility bill against the previous year’s to see if you are making gains. Being conscious when it comes to your energy expenditures could help significantly reduce them.

Try to communicate more via email. Going paperless can help the environment in many ways. Reducing your consumption of paper saves energy on production costs, along with the costs of shredding documents in your home. In addition, it also protects the environment.

TIP! Replace your old appliances for newer ones that have an Energy Star rating. ENERGY STAR ratings mean that the appliance has met standards of the EPA and is especially crafted to use less energy than older models.

A solar oven can be made to assist you in your baking needs. You can make one with easy-to-find items like old windows, boxes, and aluminum foil to reflect light. Solar ovens can get hotter than 300 degrees, and doesn’t use any energy source besides the sun, so you are reducing your carbon footprint and saving money.

TIP! Even though people know better, they often forget to turn off unused appliances, lights and computer equipment. If you were to get in the habit of turning them off, it would cut down tremendously on your energy bill costs.

Monitor how many watts you use. A gadget like Watt Minder or Kill-A-Watt will help you discover which appliances are your prime energy consumers. Plug your appliances into these devices and they can let you know how much energy they use in an hour, a month, or a year. This will show you the cost of your appliance.

TIP! Eventually, it will pay off to get green appliances and electronics. Oftentimes, green technologies are a bit more expensive than their traditional counterpart; however, investing in green electronics and appliances will pay off with savings from decreased energy consumption.

Make reminders for yourself to set new energy efficiency targets, and be sure you examine each utility bill that comes in against last year’s bill to see if gains are being made. Keeping energy usage at the forefront of your mind can motivate you to use less energy in the long run. For instance, if your stated goal is to reduce your consumption of electricity and water, you are more apt to remember to turn off the lights and shut off the faucet when not using them.

Solar Panels

TIP! The laundry room is a great place to cut energy usage. You can use a moisture control setting to turn off the dryer when laundry has dried.

In addition to saving energy and money, solar panels offer other benefits to homeowners. They are widely available, install easily, and can last decades. Putting in solar panels is one wonderful way to be “green” and keep your home updated simultaneously.